AUTOMOBILE STEEL WHEELS

The Road to Dual Phase

Thomas Heck
Hayes Lemmerz International

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase
Automotive Wheels Have Been Manufactured
From Many Materials Through Out The
History Of The Automobile:

Wood
Steel (Casting, Sheet or Wire)
Aluminum (Casting, Forging, or Sheet)
Magnesium
Composites (FRP)
Combinations of the Above

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

From The Early Days Steel Has Been A

Predominant Choice For Wheel Materials:

Pressed Steel Wheel Early Wire Wheel

Circa 1910 Circa 1920

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

The Age of Steel (1935 1980s): During This

Period Steel Wheels Dominated The Automobile.
By 1935 Wheel Diameters Had Decreased From
36 To 16 And Rim Widths Increased From 3
to 6. The Processes Of Stamping The Center
(Disc) And Rolling The Rim Were Well Suited
For High Volume Low Cost Production.

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Hot Rolled Low Carbon Steel Grades Were

Predominant For Wheels Prior To The 1970s And
Continue To Be Used Primarily on Rims Today:

Discs:
Rimmed 1012/1015 HRLC
High Formability Low Alloyed Outer Surface
Converted to Continuous Cast 1012/1015 HRLC

Rims:
Mechanically Capped 1008/1010 HRLC
Converted to Continuous Cast 1008/1010 HRLC
Still the Predominant Steel Alloy for Rims

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

The Early To Mid 1970s Brought The Need To

Reduce Weight And Led To The Introduction Of
Higher Strength Steels Into Wheels:

North America: 955X / 960Y HSLA Grades

Precipitation Hardening w/Cb Additions for Grain Refinement
Europe: Dual Phase Grades
DP550 Initially Si Chemistry
Japan: SAPH 45 60 HSLA Grades
C-Mn Grades with Improved Formability

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

This Demand For Higher Strength Steels Along

With A Need To Maintain Formability Led To The
1st Attempted Use Of Dual Phase Steel For Wheels
In North America:

Mid 1970s SAE980X Continuously Annealed Dual Phase

Motor Wheel Corporation: AMC Wheel
Kelsey Hayes: Cadillac Wheel

Both Attempts Discontinued Production Steel Problems

Material Property Inconsistencies
Surface Cosmetics due to High Si Levels

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

The 980X Experience Resulted In North

American Wheel Manufacturers And OEMs
Reluctant To Pursue Dual Phase Steel For
Wheels:
Micro-Alloyed HSLAs became the Standard for
North American Light Weight Steel Wheel
Applications

Dual Phase / Bainitic Steels became the Standard for

European Light Weight Steel Wheel Applications

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

2002 MY Steel Grade Usage - Automotive Wheels

100%
90%
80%

70%

60%
Bainitic(HR45-60)
50% Dual Phase
40% HSLA
HRLC
30%

20%
10%
0%
Rim Europe Rim North Disc Europe Disc North
America America

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Renewed Interest in Dual Phase:

Aluminum Wheel Penetration
Advantages of Styling and Weight
Need for Improved Formability
High Vent Wheel Development
Renewed Need for Weight Reduction
Dual Phase Development for Ford Impact Program
Development of Cr Based DP Chemistry
Increased Availability

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Wheel Material Usage 1980 - Present

100.0%

90.0%

80.0%

70.0%

60.0%

50.0%

40.0%

30.0%

20.0%

10.0%

0.0%
1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003
%Aluminum %Steel

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

1999: Hayes Lemmerz Began An Investigative

Study Into Utilizing Dual Phase In Steel
Wheels:
Trial DP Steels from 7 Global Suppliers:
2 North American
1 South American
2 European
2 Asian
Chemistry:
Si (4 Suppliers)
Cr (3 Suppliers)

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

O Attributes Evaluated (Dual Phase vs HSLA):

O Fatigue Strength
O Higher Base Tensile Strength

O 87 ksi min. vs 75 ksi min.

O Greater Work Hardening

O Paint Bake Hardening

O Formability
O Lower Yield to Tensile Ratio

O 0.60 - 0.70 Typical vs 0.80 0.90

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Average Rotary Fatigue Life Comparison

15x6 Drop Center Wheel

250000

200000

150000

100000

50000

0
Production Supplier #1 Supplier #2 Supplier #3 Supplier #4 Supplier #5 Supplier #6
060 HSLA Si=1.2% Si=1.0% Si=1.1% Si=0.2% Si=.02% Si=1.1%
Dual Phase Supplier - Si Level

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Average Rotary Fatigue Life Comparison

15x7 Full Face Wheel

800000

700000

600000

500000

400000

300000

200000

100000

0
Production - 060 HSLA Supplier #4 - Si .02% Supplier #5 - Si 1.1%
Dual Phase Supplier - Si Level

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Wohler Curve Comparison Dual Phase vs HSLA

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Evaluation Results: Benefits Confirmed

Fatigue Performance Improvement

Typically 50% or Greater Increase
Allows for 10% Gauge/Mass Reduction

Formability
Reduced Forming Scrap
Reduced Leuder (Strain) Lines

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Evaluation Results: Concerns

Cosmetics
Tiger (Silicon) Stripes
Formability
Higher Work Hardening (n-values)
Redesigned Die Operations
More Forming Up Front
Consistency
Heat to Heat Variation (1970s Experience)
Availability and Cost

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Going Forward:
2006 MY Production Dual Phase Programs
Flex Wheel Programs
Cr Chemistry Dual Phase Specified
2 Suppliers Identified

Additional Steel Suppliers to be Evaluated

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 AUTOMOTIVE STEEL WHEELS
The Road to Dual Phase

Id Like to Acknowledge the Following Contributors:

Steel Companies:
USS / National Steel
Kobe
Usinor
Usiminas
Personnel
Alan Coleman (Hayes Lemmerz)
Mike Miller (Hayes Lemmerz)
Hayes Lemmerz Sedalia, MO Plant
Chuck Gregoire (National Steel)
Weiping Sun (National Steel)
Dave Ruhno (USS)
Garth Lawrence (Smithers Scientific)

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DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH CHROME
DUAL PHASE FERRITE-MARTENSITE
STEEL FOR WHEELS APLICATION

Joo Alfredo Gritti

ArvinMeritor

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 AUTO INDUSTRY DEMAND FOR
WHEELS IN THE LAST 7 YEARS

Cost Reduction
Weight Reduction
Durability (+ fatigue)
Appearance
Better Uniformity
Increase in Size

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

Until 1986
Mild Steel - Carbon/Manganese
Y. S. = 240 MPa Minimum (35 ksi)
T. S. = 350 MPa Minimum (50 ksi)
for disc and rim application

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

End of the 1980s

High Strength Low Alloy - T. S. = 450 MPa (65 ksi) for disc
and rim application
(similar SAE J1392 050 YK)

Hardening and grain size refining through precipitation of a

very fine carbonitrides in the ferritic matrix.

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

1992 / TWO POSSIBILITIES

Continue to increase T. S. through the precipitation
hardening (Nb - Nb + Ti Microalloys).

Limitation: poor formability

To develop the hardening by a phase transformation

produced by a controlled cooling at the hot rolled mill with
high formability.

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

BAINITIC STEEL (SIMILAR SAE J1392 070XF)

HSLA development - T. S. = 550 MPa (80 Ksi) for disc and rim
application
Transformation hardening steel (Japanese Concept) 5% weight
reduction for disc application (compared to Nb Microalloyed)

Improved formability, weldability and behavior at the hole

expansion test. Very good fatigue performance.

Application: Toyota, DaimlerChrysler and Honda

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION
1994 / DUAL PHASE STEEL DEVELOPMENT
Hardening through a martensite phase produced by a
controlled cooling at the hot rolled mill, for disc application.

Dual Phase is currently used by Japanese and Germany

Industries which reduced the disc weight 5 to 8 % (compared
to Bainitic Steel).

Limitation: Maximum Thickness 4.5 mm

Only for Disc Application
Surface Quality (Red Scale)
Simple Design Application

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 DUAL PHASE STEEL

Microstructure
4% nital - 500x

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 DUAL PHASE STEEL

Microstructure
Metabissulphite - 500 X

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 DUAL PHASE STEEL

Chemical Composition

Material (Wt %)

C Mn Si P S Al Cr Ca Nb

Dual Phase Steel 0,08 1,14 0,97 0,015 0,003 0,030 0,10 0,0014 ---

Bainitic Steel 0,08 1,40 0,12 0,015 0,002 0,025 --- 0,0014 0,030

Nb Microalloy 0,10 0,55 0,02 0,016 0,008 0,045 --- --- 0,023

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 DUAL PHASE STEEL

Mechanical Properties

Typical Results
Material YS TS YS/TS El (%)
(MPa) (MPa) (GL: 50 mm)
Dual Phase Steel 390 (57 ksi) 650 (95 ksi) 0,60 26
Bainitic Steel 480 (69 ksi) 596 (86 ksi) 0,80 25
Nb Microalloy 390 (57 ksi) 488 (71 ksi) 0,79 31

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 FATIGUE BEHAVIOR
DP STEEL WITH Si

USI-RW-600DP
Dual Phase Steel
B10%=105.310ciclos

USI-RW-550
Bainitic Steel
B10%=32.447 ciclos

USI-RW450
Nb Microalloy
B10%=23.229 ciclos

Thickness: 3.80 mm

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 PRODUCT APPLICATION DAIMLER
CHRYSLER WHEEL

Wheel Design
Wheel 6 J x 15H2

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 FATIGUE BEHAVIOR
DP STEEL AND Nb Microalloy

6 J x 15 CH WHEEL

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 RED SCALE

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 RED SCALE

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

1999 / DUAL PHASE HIGH CHROME

Hardening through a martensite phase produced by a
controlled cooling at the hot rolled mill, for disc application.

Material developed to eliminate red scale

Limitation: Maximum Thickness 4.5 mm
Only for Disc Application
Simple Design Application

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

Chemical Composition

Material (Wt %)

C Mn Si P S Al Cr Ca N

Dual Phase Si 0,08 1,14 0,97 0,015 0,003 0,030 0,10 0,0014 0,0047

Dual Phase Cr 0,07 1,20 0,03 0,060 0,002 0,025 0,58 0,0023 0,0054

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

Mechanical Properties

Typical Results
Material YS TS YS/TS El (%)
(MPa) (MPa) (GL: 50 mm)
Dual Phase Si 390 (57 ksi) 650 (95 ksi) 0,60 26
Dual Phase Cr 402 (59 ksi) 637 (93 ksi) 0,63 25

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 FATIGUE BEHAVIOR DPSTEEL
THICKNESS 3.80mm

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

Application of HSLA material provides the following

possibilities in terms of weigh reduction.

RIM Nb Microalloy Bainitic Steel

10%
DISC Nb Microalloy Bainitic Steel
5 to 8%

Bainitic Steel DP with Cr

5 to 8%

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 ARVINMERITOR STEEL
APPLICATION

45 Q1 Meritor Grade
C - Mn - Steel
40
Q4 Meritor Grade
Nb Microalloy Q8 Meritor Grade
35
Dual Phase Steel
Elongation (%)

30 Q7 Meritor Grade
Bainitic Steel
25

20

350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

Tensile Strength (MPa)

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 THANK YOU!

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Sponsored by: American Iron and Steel Institute

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